Holder for napkins, etc.



July 13, 19 43. c. M. BRICKER HOLDER FOR NAPKIN, ETC

Filed Aug. 15, 1941 INVENTOR. Carrle 1V. Br

icker BY Patented July 13, 1943 UNITED STATES PATNT OFFICE 2,323,892 HOLDER FOR NAl Kms, ETC.

Carrie M. Bricker, Cleveland, Ohio- Application August 15, 1941, Serial No. 407,090

6 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved holder which is adapted for various uses. For instance, it may be used as a napkin holder, a holder for books etc., a holder for a card index of recipes or other subject matter, and so on.

The object of this invention is to devise a novel, attractive and efficient form of holder that is of simple construction and hence not costly to manufacture.

A further object is to devise such a holder that can be made up of substantially duplicate parts and that can be shipped and sold in knockdown form and very readily assembled by the user.

Other objects will appear from the following description and claims when considered together with the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of my present improved device;

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view through one end thereof, illustratin the form of stop means employed in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view through one end of such device in which another form of stop means is employed.

It is to be understood that the present form of disclosure is merely for the purpose of illustration and that there may be devised various modifications thereof without departing from the spirit of the invention as herein set forth and claimed.

For instance, this device may be made of different materials and of various sizes and dimensions, according to the use for which intended in any given instance. This device may also be made up in different colors so as to heighten its attractive appearance.

As clearly indicated in the accompanying drawing, my present form of device comprises a base member, which is adapted to rest upon a table or the like, and two upright end members which are connected to the ends of the base member.

The base member has the middle flat portion l and the end portions 2 and 3 which are rolled into substantially cylindrical form, with the extreme ends thereof free and provided with a reinforcing flange, as indicated at 4 and 5.

Each end member may be a substantial duplicate of the base member and ma be duplicates of each other. Each of the end members, as herein shown, has a middle flat portion 6 and the end portions 1 and 8 rolled into substantially cylindrical form, with the extreme ends thereof free and formed into a reinforcing flange, as indicated at the points 9 and II).

In order to assemble this device, the rolled portion 8 of each end member is slid lengthwise into the inside of the rolled portion 2 or 3 of the base member, each end member being suitably placed in substantially horizontal position extending outwardly'from the end of the base member in order to engage the rolled portions. Then, with the rolled portions of the two members in substan- 1 tial concentric relation, the end members are raised by turning the same about the axis of the rolled portions until they occupy substantially upright position, as indicated in the drawing.

By Virtue of the fact that the ends of the rolled portions are free, there is a tendency for the rolls to assume normally a slight oif-centre condition, with the result that there will be obtained a binding effect and. engagement between the surfaces of the rolled portions when they are turned to the position indicated in the drawing. This same binding effect continues to exist as the end members are moved inwardl beyond the exactly vertical' position, as might be desired at times in order to reduce the holding space between the upright members for objects of comparatively less thickness.

Different means might be provided for preventing the end members from collapsing outwardly beyond the zone of frictional holding engagement between the rolled portions. In the present disclosure, I have indicated two different means for this purpose, either One of which might be adopted for both end members.

In the form of means illustrated in Fig. 2 in detail and indicated also in Fig. 1, I have provided each end member with an integral tang H which extends inwardly of the rolled portion so as to prevent outward movementof the end mem ber beyond substantially vertical position, by engaging against the flange 4 of the base member.

When assembling the base and end members in the mannerabove described, the tang II in each instance will be forced past the flange 4, this being permitted by the resilient nature of the material employed, preferably sheet metal. However, there will be no danger of the tang l I accidentally moving outwardly past the flange 4 in the normal use of the device, and thus there is no danger of the end members collapsing accidentally.

In Fig. 3, I have illustrated an alternative form of means for preventin the end members from accidentally collapsing outwardly. In this case there is a tang l2 struck up from the base member so as to extend longitudinally thereof; and this tang is adapted to have operative engagement in a narrow slot l3 pro-vided in the bottom part of the end member. The tang I2 is adapted to abut against one end of the slot 13, as indicated in Fig. 3, so as to limit the extent of outward movement of the end member. As will be understood, the integral tang l2 has the thickness of the sheet metal and the slot I3 is only slightly wider than the thickness of the tang so as to permit the operation described.

During the initial inter-engagement of the rolled portions, in the manner above described, it will simply require application of sufficient force to bring the tang l2 into the slot l3. Then, with the parts thus assembled, the tang and slot engagement will not only prevent undue outward shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or that shown in Fig. 3,

the same means will be provided at both ends of the device and at points approximately midway along the rolled portions, 'asindicated in Fig. 1.

In the use of this device, it will be observed that the end members will possess suflicient resiliency to greatly facilitate the insertion and removal of objects into and from the holder device.

This is especially true and of particular value and importance when the device is employed to hold a set of index cards. That is, with the holder completely filled with such cards, the resiliency of the end members will permit sufiicientseparation of the cards to allow ready removal of a single card and later re-insertion of the same into its proper place. At the same time, there is ensured suitable compactness of the cards when not being consulted, without however interfering with their use in the most convenient manner as just explained.

As will be obvious, there are many uses to which this device may be put in a very practical manner, some of which have already been suggested. Among other uses, it might be employed as a holder or suitable support for small bottles or other such articles of toilet. That is, this holder will afiord a more substantial means of supporting an article in upright position and at the same time will add to the ornamental appearance of the equipment of which such an article might form a part.

What I claim is:

1. A holder comprising a base member and end members extending upwardly from the ends of said base member, said base and end members having frictionally engaged substantially cylindrical end portions of sheet material, the one within the other, and said end members being adjustable about the axis of said interengaged cylindrical portions so as to vary the angle of said end members with respect to said base member.

2. A holder comprising a base member and resilient end members extending substantially vertically from the ends of said base member, said base and end members having interengaging substantially cylindrical resilient hollow end portions, the one within the other, and having adjustable frictional interlocking engagement with each other.

3. A holder comprising a base member and end members extending upwardly from the ends of said base member, said base and end members having interengaging substantially cylindrical resilient hollow end portions of practically the same diameter, the one within the other, said end members having adjustable frictional interlocking engagement with said base member about the axis of said cylindrical portions so as to vary the angle of said end members with respect to said base member.

4. A holder comprising a base member and end members extending upwardly from the ends of said base member, said base and end members having frictionally engaged substantially cylindrical end portions of sheet material, the one within the other, and said and members being adjustable about the axis of the interengaged cylindrical portions, so as to Vary the angle of said end members with respect to said base member, and means for limiting outward movement of said end members.

5. In a device of the class described, a base member having a flat bottom part and a rolled end portion of substantially cylindrical form with its end edge free, and an end member having its lower end portion rolled into a substantially cylindrical form with its end edge free and having an upwardly extending portion, the rolled portions of said base and end members having frictional interlocking engagement with each other and arranged the one within the other, and means for limiting outward movement of said end member.

6. A holder comprising a base member and end members extending upwardly from the ends of said base member, said base and end members having interlocking substantially cylindrical end portions, the one within the other, and said end members being adjustable about the axis of said interlocking cylindrical portions so as to vary the angle of said end members with respect to said base member, and means for limiting outward movement of said end members, said means including a projection on one member and an abutment upon the other member for limiting engagement by said projection.

CARRIE M. BRICKER. 

